A Middletown judge became the first female judge from Orange County to be elected as a Supreme Court justice for the state.

Elaine Slobod was sworn in Thursday moments after one of her grandsons sang the National Anthem in front of their family. Slobod?s election to the Supreme Court is not the first time that she broke barriers as a woman. She began her judicial career in 1979 when she became the first woman to sit on the Middletown City Court bench. Years later, she was elected to serve as Family Court and Surrogate Court judge.

?This is the culmination of my career,? said Slobod. ?This is really the pinnacle. It's just so exciting. And I'm just so thrilled.?

As a judge for the 9th Judicial District, Slobod joins 28 other Supreme Court justices who serve the state. She is now one of six female Supreme Court justices in New York.